Integrated caul with elastomeric seals
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsSamuel Shane Brickey, Julia Karolina Slusarski
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and system for applying a vacuum-based pressure on an uncured composite structure. Membranes are bonded to a boundary of a caul. The membranes include positive features that define vacuum channels. The membranes are spliced to each other. The positive features that define the vacuum channels in the membranes are aligned to each other during splicing of the membranes. The membranes spliced to each other and bonded to the caul to form an integrated caul. The integrated caul applies a pressure on the uncured composite structure during operation of the integrated caul.
Claims22
A method for applying a vacuum based pressure on an uncured composite structure, the method comprising:
- bonding membranes to a boundary of a caul, wherein the membranes include positive features that define vacuum channels;
- splicing the membranes to each other, wherein the positive features that define the vacuum channels in the membranes are aligned to each other during the splicing of the membranes, the membranes spliced to each other and bonded to the caul to form an integrated caul, and the integrated caul applies the vacuum based pressure on the uncured composite structure during operation of the integrated caul,
- aligning the membranes to each other such that the positive features that define the vacuum channels in the membranes are aligned, wherein gaps are present between the membranes aligned to each other;
- and
- wherein the splicing further comprises:
- adding a filler in the gaps, wherein the filler comprises the positive features and connects the vacuum channels in the membranes to each other.
A method for curing an uncured composite structure, the method comprising:
- bonding membranes to a boundary of a caul, wherein the membranes include positive features that define vacuum channels;
- splicing the membranes to each other, wherein the positive features that define the vacuum channels in the membranes are aligned to each other during splicing of the membranes, the membranes spliced to each other and bonded to the caul to form an integrated caul, and the integrated caul applies a vacuum based pressure on the uncured composite structure during operation of the integrated caul;
- aligning the membranes to each other such that the positive features that define the vacuum channels in the membranes are aligned, wherein gaps are present between the membranes aligned to each other;
- wherein the splicing further comprises:
- adding a filler in the gaps, wherein the filler comprises the positive features and connects the vacuum channels in the membranes to each other;
- placing the integrated caul on the uncured composite structure;
- and curing the uncured composite structure while applying the pressure on the uncured composite structure using the integrated caul to form a composite structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.